Hasta La Gadget!

Google’s new “conversational search” feature for Chrome has quietly been enabled, with the new feature appearing in the latest version of Google’s browser. Announced at I/O, the new Voice Search feature builds on the existing ability for Chrome to accept spoken search terms, now listing out your query on screen as you say it, and then able to show the results in Google Now-style cards as well as reading out the answer.

That’s not the only improvement, however. The system also supports semantics across repeated searches; so, for instance, if you ask a follow-up question, Google will automatically understand that the two queries are related.

If you ask “When was Ford founded?” for instance, Google will now read out the answer. You can then ask a follow-up like “Where is its headquarters?” and, even though you did not specify you were still asking about Ford, Google will still understand that it’s the topic of inquiry.

At the heart of this contextual awareness is Google’s Knowledge Graph technology, revealed last year, and integrated with natural language processing. That way, search knows that some queries will be about people – perhaps referred to as “he” or “she” in follow-up questions – while others will be about objects or companies.

More impressive are the compound assumptions that search can now make. Ask Chrome if it will rain tomorrow, and it will tell you the forecast (as well as display it on-screen): automatically figuring out where you are, and that you may want a full forecast.

Still absent is so-called “hotword search” as on Google Glass, which allows you to wake the system with a spoken command – “OK Glass” in the case of the wearable – and then begin asking queries. That seems likely to arrive sometime soon, though, especially given Microsoft has built something similar into Xbox One.

Overall, the technology is further evidence of Google’s greater confidence in its own results, and in showing users what it believes they’re looking for rather than just a list of possibilities. That’s something Matias Duarte, director of Android user experience, described to us as a key part of Google Now back at MWC, an endeavor which has applications across Google’s range: desktop, Chromebook, Android, and Glass.

You’ll need to be running the latest version of Chrome in order to get access to the new voice search functionality, and you may have to be patient, too. Google appears to be suffering some teething problems scaling out the system, and we’re getting a lot of “No internet connection” error messages right now.

VIA Engadget; Search Engine Land

Google Conversational Search turned on in Chrome update is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Shouting at your TV will soon have more of an impact than just raising your blood pressure, with news that DirecTV expects to update its smartphone remote app with voice-control this summer. Capable of searching through live TV and on-demand content, and – like Apple’s Siri – recognizing natural language rather than requiring the viewer memorize specific controls, CNET reports, the functionality will not only allow you to chatter to your DirecTV box in the living room, but remotely command it while out and about.

DirecTV’s existing apps – for iOS and Android – are both in line for the update, which is due to come down the line sometime over the summer. They will also retain the existing placeshifting-style streaming abilities, which already allows viewers to view searched-for shows either on their phone or the TV, or indeed to browse search results on the TV screen using the app as a touchpad for navigation.

The difference, however, will be in how those search terms are entered. Rather than an on-screen keyboard, DirecTV will accept natural spoken queries – the company apparently demonstrated things like “search for comedies with Adam Sandler” in addition to requests for recent sports games by team – in addition to filtering with channel, actor, genre, and time.

One possible addition to what DirecTV is referring to as “open beta” functionality is room for promotional content. The updated app features speech bubbles which, by default, make suggestions as to possible searches subscribers might want to make. However, DirecTV has confirmed that the same UI is being considered for including adverts, presumably including pay-per-view movies and other on-demand content.

Speaking to a TV rather than navigating with a remote is something several manufacturers are trying to perfect, though the results have been mixed so far. Several models from Samsung and LG’s ranges include the functionality, with microphones integrated into the remote controls, while Apple’s long-rumored Apple Television has been tipped to use Siri for its control system.

DirecTV channels Siri-style speech for smartphone controller is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

It’s been rumored for quite a while that Amazon would be manufacturing their own smartphone, especially considering that they have their own tablets. While still have yet to see anything official come out from that front, we’ve been treated with a report saying that the e-tailer giant has acquired Evi, which is a Siri-like voice control app.

According to TechCrunch, anonymous sources are claiming that Amazon purchased Evi for $26 million. Furthermore, it’s said that all of Evi’s directors have been replaced by Amazon’s UK legal representatives, and the company’s records show that all directors have been replaced and all loans have been paid off.

Evi has been a bit of a controversial product in the past. It was pulled from the iTunes App Store for being too similar to Siri, but was later let back in. Evi works similar to Siri, where it uses a natural language search engine to find answers for questions that are asked by users. However, Evi can learn from your questioning habits and produce better answers in the future.

Back in January, Amazon acquired text-to-speech company IVONA, but that seemed to be mostly meant for Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablet lineup. However, it’s a feature that we could also see in an Amazon smartphone as well. With the acquisition of Evi, Amazon may be looking to take on Apple directly, but we’ll ultimately have to wait and see what happens.

[via TechCrunch]

Amazon reportedly acquires Evi voice-control app to take on Siri is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Could Siri start selling to you? Maybe so, if Nuance has its way: the company has launched Voice Ads, a system of dynamically injecting spoken promotions into digital personal assistant services like Apple’s Siri. Aiming to make commercials more engaging – and thus increase the number of people who actually act on them – the first iteration of Voice Ads will see promotional content on smartphones and tablets invite users to speak to them, with an ensuing conversation including a sales message.

Because the Voice Ad is showing up on a mobile device, Nuance can offer more granular control over when, and where, it’s visible. That can include GPS positioning, so that advertisers know when you’re near, say, a store where you can buy their product. Nuance also uses automatic volume and microphone sensitivity, so that the ad still works even in areas of high background noise.

Nuance’s example is somewhat basic: the company has created a Magic 8 Ball app which tags on an advert for deodorant at the end. At the moment, it all feels a little stilted and artificial, though the speech recognition works well.

Nuance Voice Ads demo:

We’re probably still some way off from having Siri and other spoken assistant systems throw in a sales pitch for popcorn when they help us find the nearest movie theater, though Nuance says that there’s already significant interest from ad networks in the Voice Ads technology. It’s unclear when we can expect the first Voice Ads to turn up in the wild.

Nuance Voice Ads turn your phone into a chatty salesman is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

With the announcement of Dragon NaturallySpeaking 12 back in July, Nuance has released a big update for the “world’s best-selling speech recognition software.” NaturallySpeaking 12 now features seamless integration with a few new Microsoft products, including Windows 8, as well as Office 2013 and Internet Explorer 10.

Headlining the list of new features includes a 20% improvement to the accuracy of the voice recognition, as well as faster overall performance. NaturallySpeaking 12 includes some pretty neat features, like Smart Format Rules, that increases the accuracy of formatting sentences and structure based on the user’s input for punctuation and such.

Current users of Dragon NaturallySpeaking 12 will automatically get a free software update through a digital download notification, or can head to “Check for Updates” in the Help tab of the DragonBar. As for new customers, the update is ready for ordering, with more languages becoming available over the next couple of weeks.

Nuance’s products may not seems mainstream, but the company’s technology is used by Apple for their Siri voice recognition system, as well as the voice dictation feature in OS X Mountain Lion. If you don’t have either, NaturallySpeaking 12 is a good choice for dictation. You can even hook up your Android phone to use as a microphone over your home WiFi.

Dragon NaturallySpeaking 12 updates with seamless Windows 8 support is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.